Method of building breakwaters



C. D. BRADLEY METHOD OF BUILDING BREAKWATERS 'Filed Dec. 29, 1924 2 v m Q2 I H E w Mm u e 11 m WM m fiu v N\ NH 2 f x Q. W fir r f \N 9 Q\ E w h a... a la k Patented a. 13, 1925.

UNITED STATES cm 1). 13mm, or means cm, ncmem. mrrrrcn or mmmme mam.

Application filed December 29,1924. Serial in. 758,024.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL D. BRADLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rogers City, in the county of Presque Isle and State of Michi n,'have invented certain new and useful mprovements in Methods of Building Breakwaters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a new and improved method of building breakwaters or the like and more particularly to a method of building such structures by substantially continuous deposition of material.

Breakwaters of the rubble type have heretofore been generally constructed by thedumping of material from scows in small quantities at a time. This method of procedure is expensive and takes considerable time, since the scow must be carefully placed in the exact position for the deposition of each small lot of material. This method also requires a large number of handlings of the material, which must be loaded into the scow from stock piles or other source of supply.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved method for constructing breakwaters or similar structures, and more particularly constructing breakwaters of the rubble mound t pe, or of the caisson type having a rubb e mound foundation by the substantially continuous de osition of the material.

t is a further object to provide a method of this character whereby the material may be directly deposited from a steamer into position in the breakwater. docks or other structure.

It is also an objectto provide a method whereby the material may be deposited in mounds extending continuously along the line of the structure and where by depositing a plurality of mounds, a structure of relatively large dimensions may be brought to approximately final form.

Other and further objects will appear as the description proceeds.

I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings somewhat diagrammatically, means and method forcarrying out the invention, and the breakwater formed, at various stages of construction.

Inthe drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view showing a steamer engaged in constructing a foundation for a caisson breakwater according to this method;

, permit discharge Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, but on a smaller scale and showing the means for maneuvering the steamer;

Figure 3 is a section of a partly com pleted breakwater taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a viewsimilar to Figure 3,

but taken on line 44 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3,

but taken on line 5-5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 3, but taken on line 6-6 of Fi re 1;

Figure 7 is a cross section 0 the completed breakwater;

Figure 8 is an elevational view artly in section, showing a steamer adapted for carrying out this method; and

' Figure 9 is a cross section of the steamer, sholtlving the unloading boom swung out latera y.

The present method is best carried out by means of steamers of the self-unloading tiype, such as shown diagrammatically in igures 8 and 9. These steamers comprise a plurality of he pers 11, each of which is provided with a opper gate 12 adapted to of material from the hoppers onto the conveyor 13. It will be understood that the hoppers are normally loaded through the hatches 14'.

Material deposited on the conve or 13 is carried and dumped from the end 0 the conveyor into the ho per 14 from which it is carried by the hue et elevator 15. From the elevator, it is dumped onto the conve or 16 carried by the discharging boom 17. best shown in Figure 9, this boom 17 may be swung out well to the side of the ship and the material ma be unloaded and deposited at a considerab e distance from the side of the ship. The boom 17 is raised or lowered by'means of cables 18 and maybe swung laterally by means of cables 19 operated by winches 20, as shown in Figure 1.

The boom 17 carries upon its outer end the platform 21, which supports the winch 22, which handles the soun 'ng cable 23, carrying the sounding lead 24.

In the formation of a breakwater or the like, using self-unloading vessels of this character, the vessel is stationed ad'acent and preferably parallel to the location of the proposed breakwater. As shown. in Figure 2, a series of pile clusters 25 may be driven into the bottom adjacent the proposed line. The ship 26 is brought up against these piles f ild is moored'by the cables 27, 28 and 'stakes or poles 33,34 and 35.

29 to the anchored buoys 30, 31 and 32. The

boom 17 is then swung out over the side of the ship and is aligned at theproper position and the angle of repose of the material is approximately one and one-half to one.

Consequently, a rather broad. rubble base is in to move I of the breakwater or other structure necessary to support the concrete superstructure of the breakwater. This board base'is formed. by depositing three adjacent longitudinally extending piles of material.

For example, the boom 17 will be first swung out until the series of posts 3 1 are brought-in line by an observer on the platform at the end of the boom. The end of the boom is located adjacent the material last deposited, or at the point at the beginning of the breakwater. The unloading conveyor and elevators are put into operation, the hoppers being opened at such times as to of the belt 16 on the boom.

An operator on the platform 21 continuously operates the soundin line and when the pile of material .reac es the desired height, the cables 27, 28 and 29 are hauled the vessel forward a short distance and the deposition of material continues at this spot until the desired height is reached. The movement of the vessel may be intermittent or may be continuous. This method of operation continues until the outer pile or portion 36, as shown in Figure 3, is deposited throughout the enire length or such rtion thereof as desired.

It should be stated that during this deposition and movement any slight lateral movements of the vessel are taken care of by an observer on the platform keeping the 34 lined up by having the boom swungpoles in or out, as necessary, by means of the winches 20 and cables 19.

After the desired length of the outer pile 36 has been deposited, the vessel is brought back to the starting point and the same process is carried out, with the boom swung in closer to the vessel so that the pile 37 is deposited on the line of the poles 35. After this pile has reached the desired length, the vessel is brought back and goes over the course the third time, depositing the pile in.-

termediate to the piles 36 and 37 and lined deposition,

up on the intermediate poles 33. This final brings the intermediate portion 38 of the pile to the level of the outer portions 36 and 87 and approximately levels the pile, as shown in Figure 4. e

The pile may be finally brought to more --the steam shovel roperly unload the vessel, and the material is unloaded into the water over the end.

perfect level by means of a scow 39, shown in Figure 2, carrying a pile of material and 40. This scow would be moved overthepile'as shown; in Figure 4,

and shovels full of rock deposited, as indicated necessary by soundings or by divers. Divers may follow the scow 39 and complete theleveling. In the form of breakwater shown by way of illustration, the .top of the rubble pile is located well below the surface of the 'water and concrete caissons 41 are placed on top of the pile, the caissons extending above the water level.

The caissons arehollow and formed of concrete and are floated into position. They are then pumped full of water to sink them when over the proper point. The water may be pumped out if necessary to readjust their position. When finally put in place the caissons are partly filled by means 0 stone delivered from the boom. The upper portion is then filled with concrete as shown at 42 of Figure 7 As a final step a protecting filling oflarger stones 43 is deposited along the face of the caisson and rubble pile. These stones may run to quite larger sizes and may be deposited in any desired manner.

It will be understood that a large number of anchored buoys may be provided so that the vessel may be carried along the line of the breakwater for a considerable distance.

The method has been described in connection with a breakwater which must be lev-' eled below the surface of the water. However, it is obviously equally use where the breakwater 'is entirely of the rubble mound construction. In this case, the material may be deposited until it shows above the water any desired distance. It is also adapted to other structures thanbreakwaters, such as cribs, docks and bulkheads, which require a similar deposit of material.

It will be understood that in some cases it may all be deposited by a single movement of the vessel along the line; in others, two, three or more parallel I posited as has been described. This method of breakwater construction entirely eliminates many handlings of the material incident to present methods of construction, and decreases the cost and time required for breakwater construction. The material may be loaded onto steamers at or adjacent the quarries and carried directly to the location where it is to be deposited. It then may be deposited'in place with but a single han dling by the mechanical unloading means and at high speed.

This method has been very successfully carried out with vessels of ten thousand tons well adapted for.

piles may be de-.

Due to the length of the boom,

' the breakwater,

dred and twenty five feet or more from the side of the vessel.

ile one particular vessel capable of such use and one particular method has been described in detail, it is -to be understood that I contemplate such changes and modifications as come within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

claim:

1. The method of constructing breakwaters or the like which comprises continuously depositing the breakwater form'- ing material progressively along the longitudinal line of the breakwater, the point of deposit moving forward as the deposit reaches the desired height.

2. The method of constructing breakwa ters or the like which comprises continuously depositing the breakwater forming material along the longitudinal line of testing the height of the deposited pile as the deposit progresses and moving the point of deposit along the line as the deposit reaches the desired height.

3. The method of constructing breakwaters or the like which comprises contlnuously unloadln material from a movable source of supp y and moving the source of supply and point of de sit along adjacent the line of the deposili as the deposit reaches the desired height.

4. The method of constructing breakwaters or the like which comprises continuously unloading material from a mov able source of supply, continuously testing the height of the deposit during the deposition of the material, and moving the source of supply and point of deposit along adjacent the line of the deposit as the deposit reaches the desired height,

5. The method of constructing breakwaters or the like which comprises con tinuously depositing material in adjacent piles extending longitudinally along the edge of the desired location, the piles taking their form by gravity and depending upon the angle of repose of the material, and subsequently leveling the tops of the piles.

6. The method of constructing breakwaters or the like which comprises continuously depositing material in adjacent piles extending longitudinally along the edge of the desired location, the piles taking their form by gravity and depending upon the angle of repose of the material, and subsequently depositing a third pile longitudinally extending between the first piles whereby the intermediate portion of the breakwater is approximately leveled.

' Signed at Chlcago, Illinois, this 26th day of December, 1924.

CARL D. BRADLEY. 

